Camden announces "generational" investment to improve county's water after dramatic flooding overwhelmed city
As Camden, New Jersey, residents continue recovering from last week's historic flooding, county officials announced Tuesday a sweeping $400 million initiative aimed at reducing future flood damage while restoring waterways throughout Camden County.
The long-term plan was unveiled by the Camden County Board of Commissioners, the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (CCMUA), state lawmakers and environmental groups. It calls for major investments in stormwater infrastructure, aging sewer systems, habitat restoration and recreational waterways.
The announcement comes less than a week after torrential rain overwhelmed neighborhoods across Camden and surrounding communities, flooding streets, homes and businesses.
Some residents questioned whether clogged storm drains or poor maintenance contributed to the flooding. CCMUA executive director Scott Schreiber said the unprecedented rainfall — not litter or blocked drains — was the primary cause.
"The capacity of the Camden sewer system is about a two-year storm. That storm well exceeded that," Schreiber said. "That's not to say that things like clean pipes and litter are not important. They're extremely important. Their contribution did not result in the flooding that we saw last week."
Officials said rainfall rates reached levels that exceeded what the current system was designed to handle.
The proposed investment is intended to make Camden County more resilient as intense storms become more frequent.
"Either we're going to shrug our shoulders and pass this problem on to the next generation, or we're going to do something that is generational," Camden County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash said during Tuesday's announcement.
The initiative includes approximately:
- $200 million to reduce combined sewer overflows
- $50 million to rehabilitate aging sanitary sewer systems
- $75 million for dredging and sediment remediation
- $50 million to restore recreational lakes
- $25 million for green infrastructure projects such as rain gardens, bioswales and permeable pavement
County officials say the work will improve water quality in the Cooper River, Kirkwood Lake, Atco Lake, Evans Pond, Wallworth Lake and other waterways, while helping reduce localized flooding and protecting drinking water resources.
Schreiber said the county is taking a watershed-wide approach rather than addressing flooding one municipality at a time.
"Water doesn't recognize where one town ends and another begins," Schreiber said. "Our rivers, streams, lakes and groundwater are interconnected, so our solutions must be interconnected as well."
Officials said the project will be funded through a combination of state and federal funding, county capital investments, municipal participation, grants and public-private partnerships.
Commissioners are also asking voters to approve a one-cent increase to the county's Open Space Tax. The current tax is $0.02, and their proposal would increase it to $0.03. If approved, officials say the additional revenue would help leverage loans and grants to fund long-term watershed restoration and environmental projects.
County leaders say the improvements will take several years to complete but hope the investment will transform Camden County into one of the nation's healthiest urban watersheds while making communities better prepared for future storms.
